We all have those days when it’s difficult to stay motivated. And if you’re looking for a job – a task that can drag on for weeks and weeks with no end in sight – it may become even more difficult to maintain your enthusiasm and stay positive as time goes by. Obviously, getting discouraged is the last thing anyone wants while trying to get things moving and land the perfect position. So here are a few tips to help keep you motivated:

Reward Yourself

While the ultimate reward is that great job you’ll eventually snag, it’s important to treat yourself along the way. There are dozens of ways you can go about this. Perhaps you reward a great week of job hunting with a Friday night movie or happy hour with friends. If you need more encouragement along the way, unwinding with a favorite TV show or a bowl of ice cream can help get you through a long day of job applications. Or maybe you’re the type of person who needs little incentives throughout the day, such as a quick stroll through the park or a flip through your favorite magazine. It’s imperative to give yourself something to look forward to, if only to clear your head from all of the time and energy you spend looking for a job. But also try to truly position these indulgences as rewards – things you can enjoy if you reach the goals you have set for yourself. It’s great to go party with the guys at 5pm, but if you do it every single day regardless of whether or not you have been productive, it is less likely to be a huge motivator.

Find an Accountability Partner

When it comes to getting things done, it can be easy to blow your responsibilities off and procrastinate for a bit, but far more difficult to let someone else down. So find someone you can trust – a person that you know will hold you to your work – and check in to update them on your progress. Doing this also keeps things in perspective for you, and it forces you to take a look at your actual progress. Sometimes it’s helpful to choose an accountability partner who is trying to achieve a goal of their own – a fellow job seeker, perhaps – so that you can build off of each others’ momentum and support each other.

Create a Working Environment Conducive to Your Work Style

Since you’re likely going to be sitting in one place for an extended period of time while you’re looking for a job, try to create a working environment that is conducive to work. For some people, this means removing all distractions. For others, it means creating a friendly space full of personal touches. Some individuals may need to select one space and stick to it, so that they can train their minds to go into “work mode” whenever they enter this space. Others may need to vary their setting in order to avoid becoming too antsy. The best, most productive working environment is different for everyone, so figure out your style and play to your strengths.

Staying motivated is difficult – just don’t get disheartened when you’re not feeling completely jazzed about the job search. It’s perfectly fine – and actually advisable – to take breaks every now and then. And while inspiration itself can be difficult, working on ways to inspire yourself is something that’s much easier to manage!